A member of the Jacob Garchik Brass Choir warms up before the group's fanfare to the new jazz center on the center's balcony, part of a day of festivities. The all-star opening gala concert happens Wednesday.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

A member of the Jacob Garchik Brass Choir warms up before the...

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The Bourbon Kings brought a New Orleans feel to the proceedings as they marched into the new musical shrine.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The Bourbon Kings brought a New Orleans feel to the proceedings as...

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The party moves indoors after the street parade, and the Bourbon Kings play some hot brass licks as the guests go marching in.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The party moves indoors after the street parade, and the Bourbon...

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Rashidi Omari and Suzie Lundy show off their dance moves as a warm sun shines down on the celebrating in the street.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Rashidi Omari and Suzie Lundy show off their dance moves as a warm...

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Crowds fill the auditorium as they get a first glimpse at the new SF Jazz Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Crowds fill the auditorium as they get a first glimpse at the new...

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Robert Mailer Anderson gives a short speach praising the new Jazz Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Robert Mailer Anderson gives a short speach praising the new Jazz...

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The facade of the Jazz Center is seen reflected in the glasses of Alex Derries of San Francisco as she listens to speakers during the opening. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The facade of the Jazz Center is seen reflected in the glasses of...

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Executive Artistic Director Randall Kline speaks to guests and the gathered crowd prior to the ribbon cutting. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Executive Artistic Director Randall Kline speaks to guests and the...

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The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the grand opening. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the...

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Former mayor Willie Brown is seen in attendance. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Former mayor Willie Brown is seen in attendance. Grand opening of...

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The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the grand opening. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the...

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Names of donors are seen on a large wall in the main lobby of the Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Names of donors are seen on a large wall in the main lobby of the...

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Suzie Lundy(center) dances while the Bourbon Kings band plays outside of the SF Jazz Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Suzie Lundy(center) dances while the Bourbon Kings band plays...

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A view of the completed stage and seating area. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

A view of the completed stage and seating area. Grand opening of...

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The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the grand opening. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

The High School All-Stars band plays the first ever set during the...

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Photographs of Jazz legends by Herman Leonard are seen on the building across the street from the Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Photographs of Jazz legends by Herman Leonard are seen on the...

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People look out from the second floor balconies at the crowds below. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

People look out from the second floor balconies at the crowds...

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Names of donors are seen on the large windows at street level. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Names of donors are seen on the large windows at street level....

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Members of the Bourbon Kings Band play as they march into the newly opened Jazz Center.Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Members of the Bourbon Kings Band play as they march into the newly...

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John Santos holds the scissors after he Laila Smith(L) cut the ribbon on the brand new SF Jazz Center. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

John Santos holds the scissors after he Laila Smith(L) cut the...

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Members of the Jacob Garchik Brass Choir play on the second level balcony of the Jazz Center for the crowds gathered below. Grand opening of the new SF Jazz Center on Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA Monday January 21st, 2013.

Before the public could test the acoustics inside the country's first stand-alone jazz concert hall, it got to test the acoustics out on Fell Street, where a raucous New Orleans-style street parade was held to puff up the opening of the SFJazz Center on Monday.

The long and low building, three stories of sleek glass wrapping onto Franklin Street, proved a perfect sound baffle for the San Francisco Bourbon Kings as they snaked along the closed-off street, wailing away at "When the Saints Go Marching In" to hundreds waiting to go marching in and inspect the new $64 million facility.

The red ribbon was waiting to be cut with the oversize scissors, and among those eager for it to happen was Randall Kline, founder and executive artistic director of SFJazz. He had heard sound checks inside the 700-seat Robert N. Miner Auditorium and exclaimed: "It sounds knock-your-socks-off great."

There were plenty of people walking around sock-less without hearing a note inside. They were amazed just to be standing there. Asked whether he had ever thought he would see this day, Willie Brown was unusually succinct.

Former board chairwoman Srinija Srinivasan said that when she joined the board, "the idea of a home of our own was a central conversation." That was in 2001. It took a while for the conversation to get anywhere, long enough for Srinivasan to serve 11 years and rotate off the board.

"There are 10 good reasons not to own a building," said Srinivasan, who could count one reason to own that supersedes the 10 reasons against.

"It utterly transforms our ability to perform our mission."

Sounds from on high

An example rose into the air when the ceremony began with a horn ensemble weighing in from a balcony at the corner of Fell and Franklin streets. It was performing "Creation's Creation" by trombonist and composer Jacob Garchik, son of Chronicle columnist Leah Garchik. The call of trombones and tubas was responded to by a second ensemble on a balcony at the other end of the building. The sound bounced off the taco trucks as it rose to its crescendo, "The Problem of Suffering."

It felt as if a second line New Orleans funeral procession were about to start when Srinivasan cut the mood by announcing, "It is with extreme joy that I say, 'Welcome to the SFJazz Center.' "

Mayor Ed Lee was excused to be at the Obama inauguration, and former Mayor Brown stayed low under his fedora and did not speak. But the other prominent fedora did. That was the one on the head of Robert Mailer Anderson, the Boonville (Mendocino County) author turned well-to-do jazz savant. His father-in-law is the late Oracle co-founder Robert Miner, whose name is on the auditorium.

"San Francisco has got its soul back," said Anderson, who accented his blue pinstriped suit with a new hat in " 'Round Midnight" blue, freshly purchased from Paul's Hat Works on Geary Boulevard. A major donor to the president's re-election campaign, Anderson could have been expected to be wearing his suit in Washington, D.C., on this day.

"This is more important," he said. "I'm trying to do President Obama's work here in San Francisco."

Sunny side up

The day was as hot as New Orleans in January. It got hotter as the sun reflected off the white glass, making both sides the sunny side of the street.

When the ribbon was cut, the crowd pressed into the cool lobby and up the stairs to see a mural on tile detailing the history of jazz in the city. Before the day was done, upward of 3,000 people had dropped by for the free holiday open house.

Among the first was Juanita Peterson, 73, who arrived from her home nearby, wearing her 49ers jacket and shirt from the NFC championship game the day before.

"This is wonderful. I had to see it," said Peterson, her euphoria temperedby studying the mural upstairs. "It reminded me of the Fillmore and everything we had lost," she said.

At first glance, the concert hall seems too clean for its style of music, an argument that SFJazz president Kline rejects. "This isn't a classical concert hall," he said. "There is grit enough to make it interesting."

Down on the stage, the SFJazz High School All-Stars were warming up in anticipation of playing an original composition that would be the first live jazz heard by the public in the new auditorium.

"The sound is exuberant; the acoustics are perfect for jazz," was his analysis. "The audience will be able to vibe with the waves that we will be producing on the bandstand."

It's not all roses

One faction not vibing with the waves was the stage employees union, Local 16, whose members were distributing flyers on the street. Local 16 represents crew for the San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Opera, and union organizers said this explains why there were no elected officials on the podium.

SFJazz is opening as a nonunion shop, and according to Steve Lutge, business manager-secretary for Local 16, the crew members working at SFJazz are not getting benefits. Kline is confident that an agreement will be reached.

"We've been working with them for 30 years," he said, "and it's an open dialogue."